Stadium Solutions Look to Innovation

In times of economic turmoil, innovation pierces large-scale stadium security solutions. A&S highlights some of these potentially groundbreaking applications.

Many unique stadium security solutions, such as video surveillance or access control, not only increase the efficiency of the venue's security but also generate a return on investment.

Video SurveillanceTo facilitate appropriate fan behavior, the U.S. National Football League (NFL) issued a "Fan Code of Conduct" in 2007. To ensure that fans behave at games, some stadiums now involve the crowd itself to be the venue's eyes and ears. To date, the Dolphins implemented a text messaging system that empowers fans to anonymously alert security personnel to disruptive and potentially dangerous behavior, said Larry Legere, Vertical Market Sales Leader of Sports and Entertainment, GE Security. These measures essentially deter troublemakers, using the knowledge that anyone and everyone around them could call for help.

Aside from human operators, robot systems equipped with alarm and video features can roam the grounds in the place of stationary cameras. Robot systems are used for areas temporarily frequented by people, such as temporary press conference tents, parking lots, VIP areas and the actual field itself prior to or after games, said Benjamin Stengl, Marketing Manager of Robowatch Technologies. They are also equipped with basic video analytic capabilities, and can send images via wireless networks to a control center.

From a control center, a loss prevention tool can allow operators to monitor a range of information, from register transactions to behaviors of employees, said J.M. Allain, President of Panasonic System Solutions Company of America. Beyond the return on investment of minimizing employee theft, this technology can be used to analyze product placement and merchandising at remote locations to verify employee training, dress code compliance and behavior, said Allain.

Access ControlAside from security applications, access control solutions can also interface with peripheral systems like displays, lights and other signals, adding to the capabilities of building automation, said Roc Arisa, Marketing and Projects Director, Kimaldi. Furthermore from an electronic control board, ticket dispensers and change machines can be monitored to increase the effectiveness of vending and ticketselling systems.

To reduce payment time, RFID cards be used to issue monetary credit or be wirelessly linked to a user 's credit card, essentially allowing users to use their RFID cards for gaining access as well as making purchases. It is noted that the more convenient it is for visitors to make purchases, the higher the revenue for stadiums, said Parul Oswal, Industry Analyst, Frost & Sullivan. The marketing potential for access control cards are endless; from acting as an electronic wallet, to using to gain premium or VIP privileges, RFID technology in a stadium application is quite literally an open field, said Bruno Morini, International Business Development Director, Zucchetti.